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Sunday, January 1, 2012

2011 Rewind

What can I possibly say about 2011?

So much awesome in one year.

Januarystarted off great and I welcomed 2011 with a run with Dawn. I remember the weather was amazing for January in Maine...

But just days after that run, I was dealing with some terrible knee pain (PFPS) and ended up in physical therapy for a couple of months. But that little set back actually turned out to be a blessing. Jared at OA fixed me right up, we made some changes to my run and I've running pain free since (knock on wood!)

In January, I introduced my readers to Tough Chik! Tough Chik would be with me during many miles of training, at every single race and even hanging out with triathlon royalty (see March).

I am so happy to see how much Tough Chik has grown in the last year and I am excited to follow the Tough Chik team through 2012!!

Februarybrought all kinds of great news!

I decided that 2011 was the year of BELIEVE!
I welcomed Tiger to the family (thanks to my Daddy) and I made it onto the Dailymile Team.

I was over the moon! I was (and am) so honored to be a part of the Dailymile Team!!

I was profiled on Another Mother Runner

In March, Dawn and I ventured to Boston for the MultiSport World Expo where I saw Jamie but he ignored me, so I hung out with Dave Scott instead.

Oh, it was there and then decided that I was going to do my first half iron distance race in 2011. My pick was Pumpkinman - but who would have guessed that a snafu later on would turn out so awesome??!!

In April, I had my first overall podium finish-3rd overall female-at the Nor'Easter Reverse Triathlon! Then I did a crazy little #bikestreak, #runstreak and #swimstreak. I had some fun giveaways working with Outside PR, Tommie Copper and I was ready to get Tiger out and on the road!! Half iron training would commence!

Road from home to NewHampshire and back to Maine

Maywas aMAYzing!! I had my longest bike ride with Tiger since getting her (64 miles) while participating in the club event, The Budgetman 70.3! This is also when I started training with triclub buddy, Marc. Who knew I would literally drag Marc all over the state of Maine and New Hampshire on my swim/bike/run adventures!!

May is also when I discovered the now world famous tee shirt from Triathlon Rocks "I PEE ON MY BIKE". Later this year, this tee shirt would literally open doors for me.

Junebrought me into heavy training volume outside, a new 5k PR at The Run for Cash, and fun times at The Pirate Triathlon!! Summer was here in Maine!

The KBTC Crew

Julywas a month of learning, fun and a time I will remember for a long time to come!

I got to work at The Tri for a Cure with MANDY and talk about her IMLP awesomeness!!

But, things fell through for my planned Pumpkinman half and for about 12 seconds, I was devastated. But then, Dawn, being the calm and cerebral one of us quickly handed me her iPad, in the middle of gym shift where I swifty registered for Timberman 70.3-I was scared, I was nervous and I was excited. The Pumpkinman course is flat, Timberman is not. But who's afraid of a couple (dozen) hills??? NOT ME!! And Dawn reminded me that Chrissie (yes, Chrissie Wellington) usually did Timberman. Now it was time to really focus on training and get ready for August!! I'd be doing my first half ironman three weeks sooner than planned!!

And I got to run this little Maine 10k race called The Beach to Beacon with friends Stephanie and Dawn!
Jamie was there but he ignored me again (actually, I could not find him in the sea of 10,000 runners)

Are there really words to describe August??

I trained, I was ready and I was excited.
Oh, and I hung out with Chrissie.

My favorite tri tee shirt would get noticed by Chrissie's photographer and get me into a private event where I got to hang out with her one-on-one. She was so nice AND funny!
We talked about pee'ing on the bikes and I asked her if she gave those behind her warning before she'd go. Her answer? No, if they get sprayed then they were drafting and deserve it.
LOVE HER!!

There was a pre-race meeting and Q&A with the pro's~Chrissie, Rasmus Henning and Cait Snow.

Damn! we're a good looking pair!!

Then it was here! It was race day. It was ups and downs-literally and figuratively-but each moment was amazing, awesome and in hindsight, downright comical! I got my medal and a hug from Chrissie when I finished!!

Dream = Reality!!

Sweet September!!

I got to race with Dawn, Meg, Melissa, Allison and many friends from my local tri community! I got to meet Jason face to face finally and it was a great way to end the season. The beginning of September I was high on my Timberman awesomeness and Chrissie tweeting a pic of us and writing on my FB page. See, we are BFF's...anyway, it was time for my my favorite sprint tri, The Mainiac and I placed 2nd in my age group and finished 7th overall female.

Then the post race letdown happened. I felt lost and a little lazy. But I started teaching group exercise classes at my Y, I was getting ready to get ready for 2012. I still had lots to do before the end of 2011~

It was time to start thinking about those REALLY BIG DREAMS that I wanted to come true.

October aka RockTober!!
brought Lola's 3rd birthday-my baby is not a baby anymore.

I got run the Harvest Half with friends, I got to meet Porter and hang with Mandy again.

I had been thinking of getting a coach and after a couple considerations, serendipity stepped into my life once again and I was going to be coached by Sonja, an amazing woman whom I'd been stalking following for quite a while. I was so thrilled that she agreed to coach me!

Coach and the feet that brought her to a 10:08 Kona finish.

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It was KONA time and I was GLUED to the computer all day!! My girl Chrissie just crushed it with an amazing win and Sonja simply rocked it.

The applications to the Rev 3 Team had gone live at the end of September and I knew I had a long couple months of waiting ahead of me. I had been following Team Trakkers/Team Rev 3 now for about two years (after following Sonja) and I knew that someday I would be on that team. I BELIEVED. It might not be this year or next but some day, I would be on that team. The only person on the face of the earth who knew my hearts desire was Dawn. We talked at length heading into 2011 that this is what I would spend the next year (or two or three or four) working towards. Even if they only accepted me because they were sick of my application coming in year after year.

November
November made my head spin-
I was asked to be an Ambassador for FitFluential!!

and got news that would change my entire year. I had made the Rev 3 Team.Mere words cannot even describe the emotions I felt and still feel about this.AMAZING.I am so happy and honored to be a part of the Rev 3 family. And yes, they are already like family to me.

December
I started training with Sonja and had some great breakthroughs in the pool.
I logged some serious laps, some nice trainer miles and started enjoying track workouts.

I embraced HR training and enjoyed the last month of the year with a birthday celebration, an amazing Christmas and time with family.
I enjoyed this year so much.
It has been amazing. wonderful.

2011 by the numbers:

Swimming: 71.46 miles (22 of those in December alone)

Biking: 2,814.2 (502 in December)

Running: 971.84

add in some miles walking, hiking and on the elliptical and per my Dailymile account, I had a pretty active year in 2011!!

I can barely remember what I did last month! You make me want to:get up earlier, workout more, stalk Jamie Bull, pee on my bike, & hug Chrissie Wellington! Can you believe that 2012 is going to top that? It will! Yay Team Rev3. Can't wait to hang with you at one of our races!!

Holy crap! You tri girls have all the fun. Looking back over your year is amazing. Seriously. Your live is enviable!

p.s. if you didn't see on DM, the queen of the double day finally got her a## outta bed for part of my run. Score! My kids will love that I only have to do 10 - 15 tonight. But I'll hold you to the wake up call until I make the a.m.s a habit again.